Hexalectris spicata (Crested coralroot orchid)

Walter, Alan, and I began a very busy field trip day at a location found in Stan Bentley's "Native Orchids of the Southern Appalachian Mountains". The site, which is on the top of a massive, rounded granite bald, is a strange one for Hexalectris spicata, since this species generally prefers basic soils -- soils rich in Calcium or Magnesium. Granite is not known for providing such a mineral soil.

Having said that, on July 16, there were dozens of Hexalectris spicata in evidence on the mountain top. The odd thing about these this year, is that on any one bloom stem, about 50% of the flowers (the lower ones) were past bloom and some already producing seed capsules, while the top half of the flowers were still in tight bud. Only a very few single flowers were open. That is why I don't show any full-length shots of bloom stems in this series of images...